Fiji introduces containment zones after 4 new Covid-19 cases

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Suva, April 25 (IANS) Fiji announced on Sunday containment zones for 14 days including capital city of Suva after reports of four new locally transmitted Covid-19 cases.

According to Fiji's Health Ministry, two of those cases are in Nadi, one in Lautoka and one in Suva, the Xinhua news agency reported.

As the Health Ministry cannot yet pin down the movements of these people and identify all their contacts, the ministry is forced to take strict precautionary measures against the possibility that the virus has spread within the Lami-Suva-Nausori areas and within the Nadi-Lautoka area.

According to the ministry, beginning at 4:00 a.m. local time on Monday, when the curfew period ends, Fijians will not be allowed in or out of the following containment zones of Lami-Suva-Nausori areas for the next 14 days.

During the period, police will be closing off exits at the containment zones' checkpoints. The Nadi-Lautoka containment area will be divided into two zones and the current free movement between the two will no longer be allowed.

Only persons travelling for medical purposes will be allowed through checkpoints while all non-essential businesses must remain closed. Public transportation within the different zones will be available but limited to 50 percent seating capacity. Civil service employees will be authorized to work from home at the discretion of their respective permanent secretaries.

Fiji has recorded 91 cases in total, with 24 active cases, 65 recoveries and two deaths.

The country has maintained a nationwide curfew from 11:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. local time since March last year. To trace and test possible COVID-19 cases, the Health Ministry also announced restricted movement nationwide from 7:00 p.m. on Saturday night to 4:00 a.m. local time on Monday.

--IANS

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